Fantasy Football Touchback Scoring: How Touchbacks and Special Teams Affect Fantasy Football Scoring
Special teams scoring formats: not all fantasy leagues include special teams scoring. In leagues that do, the most common scoring elements are: (1) return touchdowns — 6 points for a kick return or punt return TD (same as offensive touchdowns); (2) field goal blocks — defensive/special teams points for blocking a kick; (3) kicker scoring — field goals and extra points attempted and made; (4) yards per return — some leagues add fractional point values per yard on returns (e.g., 1 point per 25 return yards). Touchbacks themselves (when the kicker boots the ball into the end zone and the returner does not return it) do not generate fantasy scoring — they are a neutral outcome.
Special Teams Scoring Quick Reference
| Scoring element | Fantasy points (standard) | How often it happens | Mistake to avoid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Return touchdown (kick or punt) | 6 points — same as an offensive touchdown | Rare — most teams have 0–2 return TDs per season | Drafting a return specialist early based on return TD upside — the variance is too high to justify a meaningful draft investment |
| Return yards | 1 point per 25 yards (if your league awards return yards) | Every return generates some yards — volume is consistent | Ignoring return yards scoring when setting lineups — in leagues that award return yards, a high-usage returner adds 2–4 points per game |
| Kicker field goal (under 40 yards) | 3 points | Multiple times per game on drive-stalling offenses | Drafting a kicker based only on accuracy — kicker on a high-scoring offense attempts fewer FGs (more TDs scored instead); kicker on a drive-stalling offense attempts more |
| Kicker field goal (40–49 yards) | 4 points | Less common — requires strong-legged kicker + stalled drive beyond red zone | Undervaluing long-range kickers in leagues that bonus distance — a 55-yard FG earns 5 points, more than a short FG |
| Kicker field goal (50+ yards) | 5 points | Rare but significant — one 50+ FG = nearly 2 short FGs | Not tracking kicker strength — strong-legged kickers on average offenses attempt more long FGs |
| Touchback (opponent kicks into end zone, returner kneels) | 0 points — touchbacks generate no fantasy scoring | Very common — most kickoffs are touchbacks | Confusing touchbacks with scoring plays — a touchback is a non-event in fantasy scoring |
Return Touchdown Value
Boom-or-bust nature of return TDs. Return touchdowns are rare but high-value events — they happen a few times per season per team. A player who records a 98-yard kickoff return touchdown earns 6 points in the same way a WR catching a 5-yard TD pass earns 6 points. Because return TDs are infrequent and unpredictable, they are high-variance scoring events — a player may have zero return TDs in 10 weeks and two in week 11. Return specialists are generally not worth drafting for this scoring alone unless the league heavily weights return yards.
Who returns kicks in the NFL. Most NFL kick returners are young roster players (practice squad callups, WR5/6) rather than established starters. A team’s starting WR rarely returns kicks because the injury risk is considered too high for valuable offensive players. Identifying which player is the primary kick and punt returner before the draft is necessary for leagues that reward return yards or TDs.
Kicker Scoring in Fantasy
Field goal distance tiers. Leagues that include kicker scoring typically award more points for longer field goals: 3 points for under 40 yards, 4 points for 40–49 yards, 5 points for 50+ yards. Kicker value in these leagues is determined by both accuracy rate and distance — a kicker who attempts many long-range field goals on a drive-stalling offense accumulates points differently than one who kicks many short field goals for a high-scoring offense.
For how special teams scoring fits into overall league setup decisions, see: Fantasy Football Scoring Formats: How Different Fantasy Football Scoring Formats Work.